review also posted to Goodreads

This book had the perfect recipe to hook me. Fantasy/Horror, centered around the art world, lgbtq characters, and I feel a little disappointed that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had been expecting.
I think I might’ve rated this book higher if it had been able to hold my attention better. There were times where I had to keep putting it down because I just couldn’t get into the story.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a good story, but it didn’t grip me like other books I’ve read by Jackson. I was hoping that the twist/ending would make it worth it in the end.
The twist felt a little expected, but was handled well, and I enjoyed the ending. However, I feel like there was a lot more ‘telling’ in this book rather than ‘showing’, and I wonder if that’s why I didn’t feel as immersed in the story.

What a wonderful, fascinating book. I already want to reread it, in my eagerness to devour it I missed things by going too quickly.

Lewis thinks he's been called to the British Museum to show off one of his paintings, and is shocked to discover he's really been summoned to purify the dark and powerful magic contained in art painted by his ancestor. As a protagonist, Lewis is queer, black, and unwilling to let anyone else make up his mind for him. His independence and values make what should be a neat plot messy, as he discovers what the museum isn't telling him.

The Macabre is a lush, atmospheric blend of queer horror, magical art, and emotional reckoning that swings big—even if the story occasionally strains under the weight of its ambition. It's eerie, bold, and memorable, with a protagonist who's as haunted as the paintings he’s meant to destroy.

I really liked everything Jackson set out to do in this book. The vibes are great. Our main character is a disaster in human form though. No one should ever let him do anything! The action is packed, the characters are going 100 mph, but I think ultimately there was too much packed into this book with not enough connection between the different ideas. It didn’t flow quite as smoothly as I would have liked. But it reached and I appreciate it for that. I’d have happily read a duology of this story that really got into it all!

(This was a voluntary review of a free advanced reader copy. Thanks to HarperVoyager, Kosoko Jackson, and NetGalley for that privilege!)

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson is an absolute knockout. A gothic, gripping, and deeply atmospheric read that pulls you into its eerie world and doesn’t let go. From the first page, Jackson’s writing is razor-sharp and immersive, blending horror with emotional depth in a way that feels both literary and unflinchingly raw.

The story is full of tension, both psychological and supernatural, with twists that hit hard and moments that genuinely gave me chills. What impressed me most was how layered everything felt, the haunted setting, the characters’ inner demons, and the lingering questions about grief, identity, and what it means to survive. Jackson doesn’t just aim to scare you. He wants you to feel the weight of the past pressing in from every angle.

The pacing was tight, the prose beautiful without being overdone, and the characters, especially the lead, were complex and unforgettable. I found myself highlighting passages just to come back to them later. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish.

The Macabre is smart, terrifying, and emotionally resonant. Easily one of the best horror novels I’ve read in a long time. I’ll be recommending this one to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kosoko Jackson’s The Macabre is an eerie, atmospheric descent into horror that blends queerness, grief, and suspense with literary.. dread. This isn’t your typical horror novel that relies on blood and gore, but instead, it thrives on psychological tension, creeping dread (I felt unsettled the ENTIRE TIME!), and a sense of emotional dislocation that grows with every page.

The prose is gorgeously.. I know I've said this already, but it's unsettling. Jackson writes with a lyrical edge that feels both elegant and disorienting, drawing you into a world where the lines between reality and nightmare blur. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the reader to fully absorb the weight of each moment, each glance, each shadow. It’s the kind of writing that makes you feel like the walls are slowly closing in...

What sets The Macabre apart is how it centers queerness not as a subplot but as a vital, integrated part of the story’s emotional landscape. The characters, particularly the protagonist, feel complex, navigating not just external threats but the haunting weight of memory, identity, and longing even. There’s a deep emotional current running beneath the horror, which makes the terrifying moments hit even harder.

Though the story leans into ambiguity and might leave some readers wishing for more concrete answers, this openness adds to the dreamlike quality of the narrative. The Macabre forces its readers to sit with uncertainty, to find meaning in the shadows...or not!

The Macabre is chilling, beautifully written, queer, evocative, and haunting in the best way. Thinking about it, it kind of continues to haunt you after, in the best of ways.

Thank you to Kosoko Jackson, for unsettling me and having me staring at the wall in the dark. Also thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for making it possible. This one will stick with me for a little while.

This book was creepy, intense, and totally unputdownable. Andre is a really compelling main character, and the story does a great job of mixing real-life trauma with supernatural horror.
. If you like dark, twisty reads with a social edge, this one’s for you.

A struggling painter, Lewis Dixon is given the ultimate challenge. Destroy all 10 artworks.

Seems simple? Well of course not, we follow Lewis as he is plunged into a world of ancient history and dark magic as he juggles the ambition to destroy all these paintings as well as ensuring no one dies in the process. We soon come to find out Noah (a secret agent to help Lewis on this journey) may have a crush on Lewis and we are thrown into a queer love story amongst everything else which I loved! As Lewis learns about his past and how these paintings come to be there was so much jaw agape moments that just kept me wanting to read more as we come to understand these cursed killer paintings and the true meaning behind their creations.

This magic system is a great concept and was enjoyable to explore. There were places where I wished for more or the plot to speed up or slow down. The character development was well thought out for some and not executed well for others. The introduction and exposition of the magic system was well thought out and executed.

Once I got past the first 30% the story picked up and was easier to hold for longer periods of time. I did find it hard to get invested into their storylines because there isn't much background on the characters to truly root for them.

It took me a bit of time to get through this book. I was easily able to walk away from the story though it did stick with me. I enjoyed my time with the book and would recommend it for fans of fantasy.

This book was incredible. Between the magic, the horror, and the art, I was captivated from jump. The imagery is out of this world stellar and really puts you there. It freaks you out one moment and melts your heart the next.

I loved this slow burn and unique queer fantasy story. This book led me through one page at a time building a world that seems normal but comes with its own magical and horror-filled twists. I fell in love with the style of writing and the gloomy moodiness of the book. Our queer characters slowly build their relationship and become entangled in their magic and grief. This book has so many layers and will undoubtedly haunt me until I return to it again.

Thank you to Avon Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

CW: Gore (Blood, Wounds, Dismemberment); Self-Harm; Medical Institutionalization; Loss of Loved Ones

I was really drawn into the book for the first quarter or so. Jackson’s descriptions of emotion and horror imagery with the first painting were excellent, and I was intrigued about the mystery behind the nameless woman at the hospital and the British Museum that recruited main character Lewis for this project of pacifying grotesque paintings from one of his ancestors.

However, from that point forward, the book lost me. It became more adventure focused than horror focused, and while some of the fantasy elements were cool, they were also not that well explained. I also found that Lewis picked up on too much about magic too quickly; relatedly, he adjusted mentally and emotionally too quickly to whatever was thrown at him.

From the very beginning, this book doesn’t gently invite you in, it’s a strong tide dragging you into this world. The magic system isn’t overly complicated but slides in enough to understand. The story is layered and woven with horror not the way you think, but it’s definitely there.

When I picked up this title, I really expected full horror, the cover gives a similar impression to Grady Hendrix's Horrorstor. What I received wasn't what the marketing really gave the impression of.

It's setup was reminiscent of a lot of Urban Fantasy, it had echoes of Gareth Brown's Book of Doors in its exposition.

I just wish I felt more scared. That's the biggest issue. I felt more drawn in to the romance (unsurprising given Jackson's bibliography of works) than the horror surrounding these paintings and the magical world.

I do know other ARC readers who adored this title though so their is an audience and it would suit a collection in need of "low horror" titles.

I was really interested in this concept, but the writing fell really, really flat for me. ALLL telling and not showing. I just didn't love anything about it.

I read this almost exclusively due to the similarities between it and one of my favorite 8-bit horror game, Ib. Ib follows a similar premise of a person getting pulled into a horrifying art world: however, I found Jackson's version to be less engaging (and not just because of the differing formats). The protagonist, Lewis, felt fairly amorphous and unformed. It was hard to related to anything that was happening in part because I didn't feel like I had any sense of who he was outside of what was happening to him. While this is effective in a video game, where you are meant to project yourself onto the protagonist, it doesn't work as well in a novel. I was hoping that the plot would eventually built to some sort of shift or twist, but was sadly disappointed.

Queer horror meets urban fantasy just as art meets magic and its horrific consequences.
Great for those new to horror who are coming to the genre from urban fantasy and want to dip their toes into something spooky without it getting too intense.

DNF at 52%.
The premise of this book is brilliant. Art and magic should go together. Unfortunately, I was struggling to connect with any of the characters. I also needed a more atmospheric writing style for this idea. It felt choppy and immature at times.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and author Kosoko Jackson for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

There is something so satisfying about the blend of the horror and fantasy genres! It truly takes a story to the next level and incites such irrational fear which I love.

The Macabre is a lush story full of artistic expression and freedom, both in the authors exquisite prose and in the craft of the horror in the story itself. The characters are dynamic, the magic is really fun, and the paintings are horrific! I went through a myriad of emotions as the story progressed and often found myself questioning what I would do if I were in Lewis’s place (our MC).

What makes this book even better is that we also get a gorgeous first print edition with red edges! Can’t wait to get a trophy copy for my shelves.

?A picture is worth a thousand nightmares.

A struggling painter, Lewis Dixon is shocked when the British Museum shows an unusual interest in his art. While he’s always felt there’s something powerful about what he puts on canvas, he also felt there was something disturbing just under the surface—especially as he was compelled to make a painting of a painting—one that he has a connection the object of his art is one of the ten paintings his great-grandfather created over a hundred years ago. Only Lewis’s version is surreal…and maybe just a touch horrific.

Still, he accepts the invitation, only to find not a curated show, but a to see if he not only has the magic necessary to enter the paintings, but also the strength to escape them. Because unbeknownst to Lewis, there is power in his art, just as the ten paintings carry with them both immense eldritch abilities and a terrible curse—making them, perhaps, the most valuable works of art in the world.

And Lewis has been asked to destroy them all.

With orders from a mysterious museum official, Evangeline, and partnered with an alluring agent in her employ, Noah Rao, Lewis must plunge into a world of black markets, gothic magic, ancient history, and unspeakable terror to save those unlucky enough to call any of the paintings their own, and to hopefully locate the tenth painting in the series, long missing, the powers of which are suspected to be most devastating of all…

WOW. This was incredible! Such a unique premise, and I had a great time reading!